Machine for assembling caps in a holder.



H. A. STILLWELL.

MACHINE FOB ASSEMBLING GAPS IN A HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 18, 1910.

' Patented May 23, 1911.

INVENTOR A TORNEY$ a mum lllulll r lll ll I .lllrllll WITZQESSES:

H. A. STILLWELL.

MACHINE FOR ASSBMBLING GAPS IN A HOLDER.

APPLICATION HLED JAN. 18. 1910.

992,922, Patented May 23, 1911.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

U WW7 INVENTOR WITNESSES: dmm 4 V4 M W1 4 I W 7% 5 5 7x411,JT-TZORNEYLS' I 992,922, Patented May23,1911.

H. A. STILLWELL.

MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING GAPS IN A HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.18. 1910.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

v INV TOR WITNESSES: QLL wmax Mia/0:9 9. BY 2 55 72 1411. t A7T0RNE areaT HOWARD'A; STILLWELL, F WOODBURY, NEW JERSEY. ASSIGNOR TO E. I. mi PONTDE NEMOURS POWDER COMPANY, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF NEWJERSEY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 23, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOWARD A. STILL- wnLL, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Woodbury, county of Gloucester, and State of NewJersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machines forAssembling Ca s in a Holder, of'which the following is a Full, clear,and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,which form a part of this specification.

.My inventlon relates to a machine in -which any desired number of capsare taken from a hopper and placed in a holder with the open end upwardfor the purpose of loading or charging. The caps are percussion ordetonating caps for explosives.

Generally speaking, I use a hopper in which the caps are placed. -Thebottom of this hopper has grooved guides in which pins are adapted tomove longitudinally. In the rear portion of this hopper are slots throuh which the pins may be withdrawn in the1r backward movement, the slotsbeing of such width that the caps cannot fall therethrough. The pins aregiven a reciprocating longitudinal movement, and the hopper anoscillating movement. The pins i'n their movement in one direction passinto theguides and in the other direction pass outbfthe hopper throughthe slots. The hopper-is oscillated so that the guides in the"bottom ofthe hopper are in line with the pins when the pins are in their rear capat that. point until a succeeding cap the pin in its forward movement.The pinpushes it forward into the tube corresponding to'the guide. Thisis successively carried on until. the tube is filled. The inlet of thetube is slightly contracted to hold the pushes it forward. Theconnection between the reciprocating mechanism and the pins is ayielding connection, so-that when any given tube is filled, so long as.it remains so filled, the yielding connection will yield in attemptingto force additional caps therein.

The tubes terminate in orifices in a block,

beneath which is a sliding orificed plate, the .or1fices of which are ofa height equal to that of the cap. Beneath this plate is a second blockwhich has orifices corresponding, but out of alinement with the orificesin the .upper block. The orifices in the plate are first moved intoalinement with the orifice in the block at the discharge end of the.tubes, and the orifices in theplate being filled by the caps droppingfrom the tubes, the plate is moved so that the plate orifices aline withthe orifices in the lower block. The cap holder is placed under thelower block.

I will now describe the embodiment of my invention illustrated in theaccompanying drawings and then point out the invention in the claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of my invention, the holdingtubes being broken away. Figs. 2 and 3 are sections on.

the line 20-20 of Fig. 1 showing the respective positions of the variousparts during operation. Fig. 4 is a vertical section through thedelivery part of the ap aratus.

sov

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the same an Fig. 6 p

is a perspective view of one of the caps.

a is a hopper having in its forward end the' strips 6, forming guideways e between said strips, and in its rear end the slots 0.

d are pins which are given a longitudinal reciprocating movement. Intheir forward movement, each pin passes into a guide 6 and in theirrearward movement passes out through the slots 0. These pins passthrough orifices in a bar 9, and through orifices in bar 2'.

j are springs surrounding'thefingers between bars 9 and la is a gearwheel rotated by appropriate means, not shown. p

Z is a crank operated by th1s gear, and m is a link connecting the crankand bar a' by which means the bar 2' is given a reciprocating movement.By means of the springs 7' this movement is transmitted to bar 9 andhence to pins d.

n are tubes, each guideway e being adapted to register with a tube n,and a pin d when inthe position shown in Fig. 3. The inlet end of thesetubes are somewhat contracted, as shown at 0, so that it requires someforce to send a cap into the tube. The outlet ends of these tubesregister with orifices p in the block 9.

r is a block below block g, and having orifices corresponding to, butout of alinement with, the orifices p in the block 9. Interposed betweenthe blocks g and 1' is the sliding plate t which has orifices ucorresponding with the orifices p and s. Beneath the lower block r'thecap holder may be placed to receive the caps.

The hopper is oscillated in the following manner: The gear wheel ismeshes with the gear wheel 1, on the shaft 2 on which is.

the cam roller 3. On this cam roller 3 rests the arm 4 pivoted at 5,which arm is connected by the link 7 with a projection 8 from thehopper. The hopper is pivoted at 9. r

The operation is as follows: The caps are placed in the hopper. When thepins are in their rearward position as shown in Fig. 3, the hopper isrocked forward, placing the caps in the guides e. In the forwardmovement of the pins as many-of the pins as meet a cap presenting anopen end to said pin,- will catch a cap, carrying it forward to itscorresponding tube. As the successive caps are carried into the tubes,the tubes will gradually fill up. The caps pass out of the tubes intothe orifices in the block 9. At this time the orifices in the slidingplate aline with the orifices in such block.

While in practice each pin will not at each reciprocation pick up a cap,still the average picking up is more than compensated by the capacity tocontinuously operate the machine and the avoidance of complicatedmechanism. 4

The springs y' avoid the trouble which might otherwise occur if one ormore tubes were notfilled at the same time as the remainder. When a tubeis filled, and until the plate is moved to carry off a cap to itsorifice lower block, the resistance to the entry of further caps intosuch tube will cause the spring 7' of that finger to yield so that it nolonger acts to force the cap into the tube. As soon as the orifices inthe sliding plate is filled, it is moved so that its orifices aline withthe orifice in the lower block. Beneath this lower block is laced theshell holder. When the shell hol er is filled, the sliding plate ismoved back to its original position. When the pins move backward and arefree from the grooves, the hopper is rocked backward to again bring theguides in alinement with the pins. The oscillating movement of thehopper not only agitates the caps but removes the forward side below theline of the pins in their forward movement so that same may enter thetubes.

As to the utility of the blocks, the upper orificed block. forms anoutlet for the tubes and maintains their alinement and position. Theblock below the plate is essential for the following reasons: The capholder is not always in position and therefore without the lower blockthe caps would fall away. All the orifices in the upper block and plateare not simultaneously filled. With this arrangement, when the plate ismoved to transfer caps to the lower block the mouths of the tubes areclosed. Starting with the plate in position to receive caps, theorifices in the plate are first filled, the lower block preventing capsfrom passing away, then the plate is moved to make the orifices alinewith orifices in the lower plate, at whichtime the mouths of the tubesare closed by the solid portion of the plate.

Having now fully described my invention,

what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is: 1. In a machinefor assembling caps in a holder, in combination, a hopper, adapted toreceive the caps, means to oscillate said hopper, pins, means toreciprocate said pins, whereby in one position of the holder the pinsenter and pick up the caps whose open ends are in line of movement ofsaid pins.

2. In a machine for assembling caps in a holder, in combination, ahopper adapted to receive the caps, said hopper having at one portiongrooves, means to oscillate said hopper, pins corresponding to saidgrooves, 5 means to reciprocate said pins, said pins being in line ofmovement of said grooves, whereby the caps having their open ends inline of movement of said pins are entered and moved by said pins.

3. In a machine for assembling caps in a holder, in combination, ahopper, adapted to receive the caps, means to oscillate said hopper,pins, means to reciprocate said pins whereby in one position of theholder the 115 pins enter and pick up the caps whose open ends are inline of movement of said pins, and tubes into which the caps, the openends of which are entered by the pins, are delivered.

4. In a machine for assembling caps in a holder, in combination, ahopper adapted to receive the caps, said hopper having at one portiongrooves, means to oscillate said hopper, pins corresponding to saidgrooves,

means to reciprocate said pins, said pins being in line of movementofsaid grooves, whereby the caps having their open ends in line ofmovement of said pins are entered and moved by said pins, and tubes intoentered 'by the ins, are delivered.

I means to transfer the caps from the hopper 5. In a machlne forassembling caps in a holder,- in combination, a hopper, adapted toreceive the caps, means to oscillate said hopper, pins, means toreciprocate said pins, whereby in one pins enter and pick up the capswhose open ends are in line of movement of said pins, andtubes intowhich the caps,.the open ends of which are entered by the pins, aredelivered, a block having orifices registering with' the outlets of saidtubes.

6. In a machine for assembling caps in a holder, in combination, ahopper adapted to receive the caps, said hopper having at one portiongrooves, means to oscillate said hopper, pins corresponding to saidgrooves, means to reciprocate said plns, said pins being in line ofmovement of said grooves, whereby the caps having their open ends inline of movement of said pins are entered and moved by said pins, andtubes lnto which the caps, the open'ends of which are entered by thepins are delivered, a block having orifices of said tubes.

7 In a machine for assembling caps in a holder, in combination, ahopper, tubes, means to transfer the caps from the hopper to the tubes,a block having orifices forming the outlets of the tubes, a second blockbelow said first block and having orifices corresponding to, but out ofalinement w1th, the orifices in the upper block, and an 1nte rposedorificed sliding plate between said blocks.

8. In a machine for assembling caps in a holder, in combination, ahopper, tubes, means to transfer the caps from the hopper to the tubes,a block having orifices forming the outlets of the tubes, a second blockbelow said first block and having orifices corresponding to, but out ofalinement with, the

orifices in the upper block, an interposed orificed sliding platebetween said blocks, the orifices in said plate in one position aliningwith the orifices in the upper block, and in another position with theorifices in the lower block.

9. In a machine for assembling caps in a holder, in combination, ahopper, tubes,

to the tubes, a block having orifices forming the outlets of the tubes,a second block below said first block, and having orifices correspondingto, but out of alinement with, the

orifices in the upper block, and an interposed orificed sliding platebetween said blocks, the orifices therein being in depth equal to theheight of the cap.

10. In a machinefor assembling caps in a holder, in combination, ahopper, tubes, means to transfer the caps from the hopper to the tubes ablock having orifices forming position of the holder the.

registering with the outlets the outlets of the tubes, a second blockbelow said first block and having orifices corresponding to, but out ofalinement with, the orifices in the upper block, an interposed orificedsliding plate between said blocks, the orifices in said plate in oneposition alining with the orifices in the upper block, and in anotherposition with the orifices in the lower block, ,said orifices thereinbeing in depth equal to the height of the cap.

11. In a machine for assembling caps in a holder, in combination, ahopper, pins, tubes corresponding to said pins, yielding recipro-vcating means for said pins to transfer caps from the hop er to saidtubes and a block at the outlet of said tubes having orifices toregister therewith.

12. In a machine for assembling caps in a holder, in combination, ahopper, pins, tubes corresponding to said pins, yielding reciprocatingmeans for said pins to transfer caps from the hopper to said tubes, ablock at the outlet of said tubes having orifices to register therewith,a second block below said first.

block and having orifices corresponding to, but out of alinement with,the orifices in the upper block, and an interposed orificed slidingplate between said blocks.

13. In a machine for assembling caps in a holder, in combination, ahopper, pins, tubes corresponding to said pins, reciprocating means forsaid pins to transfer caps from the hopper to said tubes, a receiveradapted to coact with outlet end of said tubes, the inlet ends of saidtubes being contracted.

14. In a machine for assembling caps in a holder, in combination, ahopper, pins, tubes corresponding to said pins, reciprocating means forsaid pins to transfer caps from the hopper to said tubes, a yieldingconnection between said pins and said reciprocating means and a block atthe outlet ofsaid tubes having orifices to register therewith.

15. In a machine for assembling caps in a holder, in combination, ahopper having grooves in one portion and slots in another portion, pinsadapted to reciprocate through said slots and in said grooves, means toreciprocate said pins, means to oscillate said hopper to move the capsinto the grooves and to allow the pins to enter and carry off the caps,and tubes to which said pins transfer said caps.

16. In a machine for assembling caps in a holder, in combination, ahopper having grooves in one portion and slots in another portion, pinsadapted to reciprocate through said slots and in said grooves, means torehopper to move the caps into the grooves and to allow the pinsto enterand carry off the caps, a tube corresponding to each groove to whichsaid caps are transferred, and an orificed block at the outlet of thetubes.

17. In a machinefor assembling caps in holders, in combination, tubes,a, block having orifices registering with the outlets of said tubes, asecond block below said first on this tenth day of January, 1910.

block having orifices corresponding but out V 5 of alinement, with theorifices in the upper HOWARD, S E L' In testimony of which invention, Ihave block, an interposed orificed sliding plate be- Witnesses: 1 tweensaid blocks, and means to deliver caps HOWARD K. WALLACE,

ERNEST REDFIELD.

to said tubes.

hereunto set my hand, at Woodbury, N. J 10

